FAQ's

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BUILD AN ADU AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD?

Our ADU's are ranging between $385 to $650 per square foot for a detached, new construction ADU with two bedrooms and two baths between 750-850 SF despite substantial increases in lumber and material costs. Conversions (converted garage, basement, or other structure) range between $180 to $385 per square foot. Both conversions and detached, newly built ADU's are taking 8-12 months to construct after permitting.

CAN YOU HELP WITH FINANCING OUR ADU?

Yes. We can help you with financing through one of our preferred lenders using traditional lending practices such as cash-out refinancing, Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCS), FHA 203K Rehab or Renovation Loans or through non-traditional methods such as Home Equity Contracts (HECS), self-directed IRA's or 401K's, Construction Loans, and other creative financing methods.

WILL MY PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE IF I BUILD AN ADU ON MY PROPERTY?

According to state law, building an ADU will NOT prompt a "re-assessment." The county will perform a "blended assessment" in which the valuation of the ADU (when submitted for permit) will be added to the assessed primary residence. Thus, if the valuation of the ADU is $100K, that amount will get added to the "improved" value of the subject property.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING "SUPPLY CHAIN" PROBLEMS?

Very little if any. We had two instances where we were able to adjust quickly without delays. The first was an induction oven that was damaged on delivery. The replacement oven was to arrive in four months. We cancelled the order and were able to find another manufacturer and an oven in stock in a local warehouse. The other situation involved a truss roof where the company making the roof notified us that production was being delayed 3-4 weeks due to the wildfires up North. We cancelled that order and decided to design and make our own roof rafter system. In both cases, we were able to save several weeks or months of delays.

HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO KEEP YOUR COSTS DOWN?

We are able to keep our costs down and pass on those savings to our clients since we keep a lot of construction services in-house such as excavation, foundation, concrete/grading work, and framing and carpentry work. We even have a network of designers, surveyors, soils engineers, structural and civil engineers, and architects to start and push through your ADU plan designs for permitting in your local jurisdiction.

ARE YOU GENERAL CONTRACTORS OR ARE YOU PROJECT MANAGERS?

We are both. We are also developers. It all depends on what the client wants and needs. Some clients want us to handle the entire project from design to construction to getting renters for them and providing property management. Other clients just want us to design the ADU and obtain the building permit, while others want us to build the ADU according to the permitted plans they obtained.

HOW MANY ADU'S HAVE YOU BUILT?

We are fast approaching seventy-five (75) completed ADU's with four projects pending (as of January 2025). We have completed dozens of new construction projects from new homes to light commercial, and several dozen "total gut" rehabs. Despite the fact that we've been building since the mid-eighties, ADU's, technically speaking, did not get popular until 2018. Most of our ADU projects are detached new construction homes, however, we have also done garage and basement conversions as well.

WHAT TYPE OF ADU'S DO YOU BUILD- MODULAR, PRE-FABS, OR TRADITIONAL STICK-FRAME?

We utilize a hybrid of modular and traditional framing methods. We find that this type of building gives property owners a lot more flexibility, customization and options. With every project, there will be corrections to be made; consequently, it is this hybrid model that allows us to make those corrections efficiently and quickly without adding extra costs. Above all, it is this hybrid model that results in a solid, structurally sound building that will last a long, long time.

HOW DO I GET STARTED?

The first step is to contact us and schedule a site visit. This visit usually takes 45 minutes to an hour where we will visit with you at your property and take pictures of the existing infrastructure (electrical panels, clean-outs, water lines, meters, terrain, etc.), ask questions, and have a conversation to understand what your goals and wishes are that you want to attain. We will then provide you with a free estimate. At this site visit, we can also get property owners prequalified for ADU Financing with one of our preferred lenders. The site visit is conducted mainly outside and we follow COVID-19 protocol. We can also conduct a "virtual" site visit, but highly recommend the in-person site visit to get a better feel of the property and scope of your project.

WHAT CHANGE ORDERS ARE YOU SEEING?

The more common Change Orders we are seeing involve improving the existing infrastructure such as upgrading the electrical load, replacing the sewer lateral, and/or changing the main water line from ¾" to 1,1/4" in order to increase water pressure. Property owners have also elected to install new decks, fencing, solar panels, landscaping (such as driveways or retaining walls), exterior accents, and/or commercial-grade appliances to name a few.  As project managers and builders, we try to avoid change orders by making sound recommendations during the design stage before construction so that our clients are not unpleasantly surprised during construction.

ARE YOUR ADU'S GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE?

We build ADUs that are sustainable and provide a way for communities to grow. (1) Our ADU's are built on existing property rather than using up undeveloped green space. (2) We tap into existing infrastructure (e.g., roads, utilities, schools, fire department, police, etc.), rather than adding more. We use sustainable methods, green architecture, and we are firm believers and practitioners of enhancing or maintaining the aesthetic beauty of each home.